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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLARD M. HIATT, OF WESTON, MISSOURI.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 237,016, dated January25, 1881.

' Application filed AugustlS, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLARD M. HIATT, of Weston, in the county of Platteand State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Car-Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exactdescription of the invention, which will enable othersskilled. in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part ofthis specification, and in which Figure l is a vertical longitudinalsection of my improved car-coupling, and Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectionof the same, taken through line 00 00, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both thefigures.

This invention has relation to improvements in car-couplings of thatclass in which the operation of coupling is automatic, while theuncoupling operation does not require the attendant to go in between thecars where they closely approach each other; and it consists in thedetailed construction and arrangement of the parts, substantially ashereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, A indicates the draw-head, andB is thecoupling-pin. A

short distance up from its lowerend it is shouldered, as shown at b, toaid in holding the link down in the draw-head. The pin is hung at c in aplate, 01, which is also hung or pivoted in the draw-head upon a pin, f.To the upper side of the hinged or pivoted plate d is attached, by astaple, preferably, a ring, 6, to afiord a means of attachment for achain or other suitable medium, connected to an elevated point on thecar, to permit of the uncoupling of the cars without requiring theattendant to go in between the closely-approaching portions of the cars.

0 is a gravitating lever or tongue, hung in the draw-head directly underthe hinged or pivoted plate cl upon a pin or bolt, 6, with its rear endweighted eccentrically to its pivot, or so as to cause its tongue orforward end, C,

to press against the pin and permit the latter to move rearwardly in thearc of a circle, and after being released to return to its former ornormal vertical position. The under side of plate d is hollowed out tocause it to fit snugly the upper weighted end of the gravitating tongueor lever C C.

To efi'ect the operation of coupling, force the link D against the pinthrough the usual opening in the draw-head. This action of the link willswing the pin rearwardly and upward, and thus permit the link to passunder and beyond the pin. The gravitating lever or tongue will instantlyreturn the pin to its normal position, swinging it back at its lower endin the slot or opening in the link, and thus effect the coupling. Aslot, f, is made in the bottom of the draw-head to permit the pin tohave the above-described swinging motion.

I claim as my improvement and desire to secure byLetters Patentof theUnited States- In a draw-head for railway-cars, the combination, withthe hinged and recessed plate d, and hinged pin B, shouldered at b, ofthe pivoted wedge-shaped tongue G 0, bearing with its pointed. endagainst the pin, and with its broad or weighted end against plate 01, asshown and set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLARD MILTON HIATT.

Witnesses JAMES ANDERSON HIATT, JOHN G. NEWHQUsE.

